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PROFILE OF VIOLENCE TOWARD CHILDREN: A NATIONAL STUDY

NCJ Number
142291
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (March-April 1993) Pages: 197-212
Author(s)
G D Wolfner; R J Gelles
Date Published
1993
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The Second National Family Violence Survey was used to update the existing 1975 profile of violence toward children. The survey is used by professionals to describe the distribution of violence toward children, to suggest how the nature of violence toward children may be changing, to identify where prevention and treatment resources are currently needed, and to identify high-risk groups.
Abstract
In this survey, a sample of 6,002 households was surveyed by telephone in 1985; 3,232 households had at least one child under 18 years living at home. According to the results, minor violence and physical punishment occurred most frequently among mothers, caretakers between the ages of 18 and 37, unemployed fathers, blue-collar workers, households with two to four children at home, drug- or alcohol-abusing caretakers, male children, and children ages 3 to 6 years. There were some changes from the 1975 survey in terms of region, race and religion of abusers, abusive fathers' education level, and characteristics of the victim. Preschoolers have replaced adolescents as the most frequently abused group. The highest rates of abusive violence occurred in families living in the East, families living under the poverty level, families with an unemployed father, families with four or more children, families where the caretaker used drugs at least once, male children, and preschool-age children. The authors use a psychosocial diathesis-stress model to explain abusive violence toward children. 8 tables, 6 figures, and 24 references